Lord I'm need and need some help

Toonces · August 15, 2017

Hey I'm new to these awesome 60-66 Chevy trucks and was hoping to ease in, but I just ran up on what I think is a decent '64 c-10 for sale and need to get some fast feedback.

This one is a 3 on the tree long bed step side, which I've never seen before, and seems to be in good shape. Am waiting back for more pictures of the underneath side for indications of rust.

My issue is I have a budget of course and I would like my eventual truck to end up with a 6 cyl, a TH350 or 700R4 auto trans, power steering, and a/c. And of all of these this truck only has the 6, so at least it's a start.

So my questions are...how difficult and costly is it to add individually... one of these auto trans to a 3 on the tree truck, a/c, and power steering?

Although I've never gotten too deep in my engine, clutch or trans I pretty much do all the work on my cars..96 Jeep Cherokee and an 02 Maxima.

So if I can do a fair amount of this work myself, how much would each of these upgrades end up costing me, in parts?

Heavy 5.7 · August 15, 2017

Why not a powerglide?

muddkatt · August 15, 2017

Cost will depend on how you do the swap. Cheap way is pull the pin and remove the shift lever, add a floor shifter for the transmission. Leave the clutch /brake pedal assembly. Then add a power steering pump, and replace the gear box.

Not sure why you want a TH400 with a 6 banger, TH350's are cheaper to build and more plentiful, and a 700R4 will give you overdrive, and are easy to locate.

Toonces · August 15, 2017

Heavy I'm not sure what a powerglide is? Please do tell.

and muddkatt thanks for the trans info. I modified my original post to show your advice. I'd like to get away with all this with dependable parts, but as cheaply as I can.

With this in mind any advice on about how much these upgrades will cost me...ballpark figure is good enough.

Cowpie · August 15, 2017

I loved the old 6 inlines in the pickups. And my first foray into driving in the mid 60's on up thru the mid 70's, two of my vehicles had 3 on the tree. in a 60's classic pickup, I would just leave it stock. But each has their personal preference. No wrong answer.

Toonces · August 16, 2017

Anybody know if you can swap a long step bed onto one of these trucks that was originally a short fleet side?

KARNUT · August 16, 2017

Every thing you what to do is doable. The engine is probably the easiest. Go back and forth between a small block and a 6 cylinder is easy. I would look for a truck with a V8 and it would probably have everything else you wanted. The bed thing you want to do would be the hardest. I had a 65 that had the running gear from a 82 Tahoe computer and all with an after market AC and Heat. Look on EBay you may find exactly what you want.

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Spurshot · August 16, 2017

I look at these kinds of projects two ways. Either keep it all stock, or go full resto-mod. An old truck in all stock, no ac, maybe no power steering, and a 6 banger, would be just a local neighborhood driver for me, and not on hot days.

If I were to modify something like the truck you mentioned, I'd drop a Late LS 6.2, with a 6 speed auto in it, complete with a ac compressor and a hydro-vac for the power steering and brakes, and add Wilwood disks all around. Maybe even look into a late Camaro front and rear subframe suspension.